Prepare thyself to search their fathers….shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their hearts? Job 8:8-10

Mabel E. Davis Kenney (1877-1955)

In March of 2002, my brother John and I went on a genealogy field trip to Vermont where our great grandfather, Harry McWhirter (1869-1940), was born. At that time, I had been corresponding for over a year with a distant cousin, Bea Aldrich, regarding Blake family history. She was living in Derby, Vermont, just a few miles from the Vermont/Canadian border. We met with her and she also allowed us to scan old family photographs she had in her possession. She had many. =))

So many, in fact, that she had recently given a box full of old family photographs to a gentleman in Stanstead, Quebec, who was maintaining a repository for old photos that people didn’t know what to do with, but couldn’t bear to throw away. When I expressed an interest in seeing those pictures as well, Bea called him and asked if he had time to see us. He did. =)

He had converted an old gas station into a storage facility. There were rows of shelves, floor to ceiling, packed with boxes full of old photographs and memorabilia. He led me to a table, brought me the box, and then left me alone.

Some of the faces I immediately recognized. With others, I recognized the names, and even knew some of their life stories, but that was the first time I had ever seen their faces. I remember sitting there with tears streaming down my cheeks. Even now, as I write this, I find myself tearing up yet again at the memory.

I heard the gentleman in the next room on the phone, talking to my cousin Bea in Vermont. His end of the conversation went something like this:

“Hey Bea. Yeah. Um, that lady you sent over? She’s here looking through the box of pictures you gave me, and, well…..she’s crying. Can I just give them to her?”

She agreed to let me have them. =)

This first photo is one of my favorites that came from that collection. The photograph is of my great grandfather Harry’s cousin, Charles Enoch Davis (1855-?) and his oldest child Mabel E. Davis (1877-1955). Charles is a son of Dudley M. Davis (1822-1892) and Lydia Blake Davis (1827-1900) oldest sibling of Almira Blake McWhirter (1837-1871). I believe the photograph was taken around 1890.

I love this picture of father and daughter.

In March of 2002, my brother John and I went on a genealogy field trip to Vermont where our great grandfather, Harry McWhirter (1869-1940), was born. At that time, I had been corresponding for over a year with a distant cousin, Bea Aldrich, regarding Blake family history. She was living in Derby, Vermont, just a few miles from the Vermont/Canadian border. We met with her and she also allowed us to scan old family photographs she had in her possession. She had many. =))

So many, in fact, that she had recently given a box full of old family photographs to a gentleman in Stanstead, Quebec, who was maintaining a repository for old photos that people didn’t know what to do with, but couldn’t bear to throw away. When I expressed an interest in seeing those pictures as well, Bea called him and asked if he had time to see us. He did. =)

He had converted an old gas station into a storage facility. There were rows of shelves, floor to ceiling, packed with boxes full of old photographs and memorabilia. He led me to a table, brought me the box, and then left me alone.

Some of the faces I immediately recognized. With others, I recognized the names, and even knew some of their life stories, but that was the first time I had ever seen their faces. I remember sitting there with tears streaming down my cheeks. Even now, as I write this, I find myself tearing up yet again at the memory.

I heard the gentleman in the next room on the phone, talking to my cousin Bea in Vermont. His end of the conversation went something like this:

“Hey Bea. Yeah. Um, that lady you sent over? She’s here looking through the box of pictures you gave me, and, well…..she’s crying. Can I just give them to her?”

She agreed to let me have them. =)

This first photo is one of my favorites that came from that collection. The photograph is of my great grandfather Harry’s cousin, Charles Enoch Davis (1855-?) and his oldest child Mabel E. Davis (1877-1955). Charles is a son of Dudley M. Davis (1822-1892) and Lydia Blake Davis (1827-1900) oldest sibling of Almira Blake McWhirter (1837-1871). I believe the photograph was taken around 1890.

Charles married Mabel’s mother, Carrie M. Grow (1854-?), on 1 January 1877, in Charleston, Orleans, Vermont. Their first child, Mabel E. Davis, was born 25 December 1877 in Charleston, Orleans, Vermont. The couple’s second child, a son, Bertie B. Davis was born 14 November 1885, in Derby, Orleans, Vermont.

I am including it here not only because Mabel is pictured in it, but also because I believe it speaks to how close the Blake family was. At the time this picture was taken, Mabel Davis and her family lived in Charleston, Vermont, and Mary Barrett and her family lived in Titusville, Pennsylvania, a distance of over 550 miles.

The next record I found for Charles E. Davis is the U.S. Federal Census, taken 5 June 1900 in Manhattan, New York, New York. He is recorded as living in a boarding house, and widowed, indicating that Carrie died some time between 14 November of 1885 (the birth of their son) and 1 June 1900. I can find no record for either Carrie Grow Davis, or their son, after Bertie’s birth in November of 1885.

The Wisconsin State Census taken 1 June 1905 shows Mabel still living with Austin and Ida Blake, now age 26, and employed as the Postmistress for Waunakee, Wisconsin. I had found this record of her years ago, but could find no trace of her after that. I didn’t know if she had gotten married, moved back to Vermont, died, or all of the above. Until today.

While searching through old newspaper archives in Wisconsin for information on Austin Blake and his family, I came across this wedding announcement for Mabel Davis and Anthony Patrick Kenney (1878-1944) in the Waunakee Index Newspaper dated 3 December 1906. The marriage took place in Waunakee, Wisconsin, on 26 November 1906, which was Thanksgiving Day.

KENNEY-DAVIS WEDDING

Last Thursday morning at nine o’clock at St. John’s church in this village occurred the marriage of two of our most popular young people, Mr. Anthony P. Kenney and Miss Mabel Davis. the solemn high mass was sung by the rev. Father John N. Shiltz, of Lodi. A number of relatives and close friends of the contracting parties were present and witnesses the ceremony. Miss Agnes Rafferty of Token Creek, acted as bridesmaid, and Mr. T.K. Kenney of Madison, a brother of the groom, acted as best man.

The bride was gowned in a beautiful dress of white French lawn and trimmed with Irish brocade, and the groom was dressed in conventional black.

Mr. Kenney is a native of Indiana, and after locating temporarily in Ohio for a few years, came to Waunakee in 1902 and was one of the founders of The Waunakee State Bank with which institution he has since served in the capacity as cashier. Since coming here he has won the friendship and respect of the entire community, and through his increasing work at the bank has been a very large factor in building up one of the largest and most substantial country banks in this section. Everyone has a kind word for Mr. Kenney.

Miss Davis claims Vermont as her native state, but for a number of years has made her home with Dr. A.M. Blake in this village. She was an assistant to Postmaster Riphahn for several years, and while serving in that capacity made the acquaintance and won the respect of the people of the entire neighborhood who speak of her only in highest praise and with one accord pronounce her a most estimable young lady.

The many friends of the bride and groom join with the INDEX in extending to them heartiest congratulations and wish them a long life of happiness and prosperity.

Mr. and Mrs. Kenney left on the noon train for a short wedding trip to Chicago, returning Sunday evening. They will be at home in the house recently vacated by L.H. Stewart on Second Street, and their many friends will be pleased to welcome them as neighbors.

Mabel’s husband, Anthony Patrick Kenney died 16 February 1944 at age 66, in Waunakee, Wisconsin. This obituary appeared in the Madison, Wisconsin State Journal. It reads in part:

A.P. Kenney Dies at 66

WAUNAKEE- A.P. Kenney, 66 organizer and cashier of the Waunakee State bank for 40 years, died at his home Thursday night after a long illness.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Roger, Sheyboygan Falls; three grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. William Adang, Geneva, Ind., and three brothers, William, Kiliam, Canada; Peter, Newport, N.J., and Leo, in Alaska.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Kuestner Funeral Home, and at 9:30, St. John’s Catholic Church. The Reverend Michael Jacobs officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Mr. Kenney was born in Geneva, Indiana, and lived there until 1896, when he entered University of Ada, Ohio. He taught school, was graduated from Valparaiso College, Indiana, was on the staff of the Luther County, Indiana, Standard, and with the First National Bank at Galena, Illinois.

He came to Waunakee in 1902, and with the residents formed the Waunakee State Bank, which he served as cashier until he retired in 1942. He served as chairman of the bank board and continued an insurance business until he died.

And finally this last newspaper article that appeared in the Waunakee, Wisconsin Tribune on 10 February 1955, announcing the death of Mable Davis Kenney in Florida while living at the home of her son, Roger Kenney.

Mrs. Mabel Kenney, 75, Dies on February 2 in Florida

Mrs. Mabel Kenney, 75, well known former resident of Waunakee for about fifty years, died at the hospital at Lake Wales, Florida, Wednesday, after an illness of two weeks.

Mrs Mabel Davis Kenney, the widow of A.P. Kenney, one of the founders and former cashier of the Waunakee State Bank, was born on December 25, 1878, in Charleston, Vermont. She came to Waunakee when she was sixteen years of age, and made her home with the Dr. A.M. Blake family. She was united in marriage to Anthony P. Kenney on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1907

She made her home in Sheboygan Falls for about eight years before going to Florida.

Mrs. Kenney was a member of St. John’s Christian Mother’s Society, the Waunakee Contract Bridge Club, and The Royal Neighbors of America.

Survivors include one son, Roger Kenney, Lake Wales, Florida, and four grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday at 9 a.m. at the Schwab Funeral Home, and 9:30 at St. John’s Catholic Church, with the Rev. Raymond Ziegler officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.